Victor was going to use my daughter as a weapon. I walked out of that building and called my lawyer before I even reached my car.
She answered on the second ring. “He filed a legal challenge against Isla,” I said, my voice tighter than I wanted. “Parentage related. When did it happen and what does it say?”
A brief pause. “Two days ago. It's quietly filed, not yet served. It’s structured to contest parentage claims publicly and force an establishment of paternity on record before disputing any implications that might follow.” Another pause. “It’s aggressive, Naomi. But it's manageable.”
I reached my car and just stood there, staring at nothing. My hand tightened around the phone.
“Manageable,” I repeated, the word tasting bitter.
“With the right—”
“I don’t want to manage it.” My voice
